Isn’t information on these patients protected health information and restricted from sharing?
The HIPAA Privacy Rule expressly permits disclosures of protected health information without individual authorization to public health authorities authorized by law to collect or receive the information for the purpose of preventing or controlling disease, injury, or disability, including but not limited to public health surveillance, investigation, and intervention. This EIP initiative is specifically aimed at preventing and controlling injury or disability related to the influenza A (H1N1) 2009 monovalent vaccine, therefore the HIPAA Privacy Rule permits reporting of patient-specific information to the EIP sites. More information can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/privacyrule.
Related Questions
- Under what circumstances am I allowed to share protected health information without obtaining the patients authorization?
- May I request restrictions regarding Colonial Life sharing protected health information (PHI) about me?
- What are some examples of procedures required under HIPAA for handling protected health information?
